The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-12-16
THE "SUPPREssEDy VOTE.

merclal, in the December number of
The Forum, undertakes to prove that
the colored vote is suppressed IN the
south and the constitutional amend
ments nullified. The negro vote was
an important factor in determining the
result of the election On the prohibition
of the sale of liquor in Atlanta the
other day. In the face of the returns
OF the vote there it will hardly be al
legged that the black vote is s.sup-
pressed" The truth is the colored
people are but little Interested in gen
eral politics. On the prohibition ques-
ton the colored man voted without
mo.eststion or hindranco and his vote
was counted.
1t does not follow that because the
negro vote does not appear in general
elections in the south that it is sup
pressed. Neither party has organized
it and where it is unorganized it falls
away, just as the white vote would in
the north. All men experienced in
political affairs know that thorough or
e~aniZation tends 20 bring out u full
vote. There is another cause why the
colored vote has fallen away. The
negro, as the price of his support OF
the Republican party, demanded recog-
milton. He rightly reasoned that if
he was good enough to keep the Re
publican party in power he was also
good enough TO receive some of the
honors and cmoluments of public Office.
This was denied bin by the party with
which he was identified. Every hint
that the race ought to be rewarded for
its fealty to the party was u~nheedea.
The colored voter in the south, where
his vote was relied IN to give the Re-
Publicans their strength, became tired
of being q ''hewer OF wood end Il
drawer of water for the party ans
gradually abBented himself from the
polls. He devoted his time and en-
ergies to lettering his condition ~financi.
ally, and in this he was aided by his
Democratic neighhors. His anbi-
ton ut first was to be y politi-
cian and IN Office holder, but rs he did
not receive encouragement from the
source he thought he had Il right TO ex-
pect it, he became ambitious in the
direction of building up his financial
fortune. The co!ored laborer found in
the Democratic party better friends
than the Republicans We're, notwith.
standing their profuse promises, and
he came to care very little whether q
Democrat was elected to congress. He
found that his condition was quite as
good if represented by a Democrat as
it was when represented by a Repub.
lican.
Take the late election in the state
OF Virginia as an example. No Repub.
lican is bold enough to assert that the
c%olored vote was suppressed, though
the country is pretty we'll accustomed
to bold assertions by Republican
leaders.
Wherever the conditions were such
that the colored voter was interested
in an election in a Southern state. he
has voted and his vote has been
counted, Whenever the Republicans
cease to attempt TO use the colored
voters as tools, instead of making them
Intelligent allies, that vote will reap.
pear without h%indrance or intimidation
by the Democrats.
Indications pointvery strongly that
the colored vote is no longer solid for the
Republican party, but is splitting. part
going to the Democrats. Especially is
this so in the North. 10 thi. fact. no
doubt, is attributable the declaration of
Senator Sherman, the other day at
Cincinnati, that 'it was a mistake 10
~enfranchise the colored people," and
that their rights should have rested
upon the constitutional amendment
abollshing slavery"
When the bayonet props which held
up the Republican party in the south
were removed, it collapsed OF It's own
corruption. With the downfall of the
Republican party in that section, I'M
der the Hayes regime, the colored men
lost tier interest in elections and their
result. This is the only way in which
the colored vote has been suppressed.
The black men are not DISTINGUISHED by
the denial of their right to vote or re-
fnsal to count fairly the negro vote.
The colored vote still exists, but it has
not the capacity to organize itself in
politics, and the Republican party hav-
ing lost control in the south, there are
no leaders to do that work. The At
lanta election, however, shows that the
black vote may be important N future
elections.
A Very Weak Streak.
l met a fine looking Englishman the